Wrapper for metal coils

ABSTRACT

A wrapper for wrapping a cylindrical roll of coiled material, such as coiled steel, is a one-piece wrapper which covers the outer periphery, the ends and the inner periphery of the roll. The wrapper has a first portion for covering the ends and outer periphery and a second portion for covering the inner periphery. Draw strings are provided at the longitudinal edges of the first portion for cinching the wrapper against the ends of the roll.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/146,261, filed Jan. 21, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to the wrapping of coils of material, for example coils of metal cable or wire, to protect them from damage or corrosion.

Coils of metal are typically made in the form of cylindrical rolls having a hollow bore. To protect the metal during transportation and storage, all exposed surfaces of the roll have to be covered, including the outer periphery, the ends and the periphery of the bore. The invention is directed to an improved one-piece wrapper for accomplishing this purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a wrapper for wrapping a cylindrical roll of coiled material, the wrapper having a portion that covers the outer periphery and the opposed ends of the roll, and a portion that covers the inner periphery of the roll. The two portions of the wrapper meet along longitudinal edges thereof and drawstrings extend along the length of the wrapper proximate to the two longitudinal edges of the outer cover portion to fasten the wrapper at the respective ends of the roll.

The invention further provides a method of wrapping a cylindrical roll of coiled material using the wrapper and a wrapped coil of material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the wrapper according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cylindrical roll of coiled metal to be wrapped with the wrapper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wrapped roll of coiled metal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The wrapper of the invention is intended for wrapping cylindrical rolls of coiled metal, in particular steel coils. FIG. 2 illustrates such a cylindrical roll 50. It has an outer periphery 52, a first end 54 and a second end 56 comprising the opposed ends of the cylinder, and a hollow bore 58 defining an inner periphery 60. Steel rolls of this form are commercially produced in a range of sizes, most commonly from about 42 inches (107 cm) long and 42 inches (107 cm) outer diameter to 66 inches (168 cm) long and 66 inches (168 cm) outer diameter, all with a bore about 20 inches (51 cm) in diameter. The wrapper of the invention can be made in different sizes depending on the size of roll to be wrapped.

Referring to FIG. 1, the wrapper 10 of the invention comprises a sheet of material having two principal parts, namely an outer cover portion 12 for covering the outer periphery 52 and the ends 54, 56 of the roll 50, and an inner cover portion 18 for covering the inner periphery 60.

The outer cover portion 12 has opposed longitudinal edges 14, 16 and the inner cover portion 18 has opposed longitudinal edges 20, 22. The two portions are attached together along the respective longitudinal edges 16, 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the respective portions are welded together along their overlapping edges 16, 20, forming a drawstring pocket 34, as discussed below. Alternatively, the two portions 12, 18 may be affixed together by sewing, by an adhesive or by other means, forming the pocket.

In the illustrated embodiment of the wrapper, the outer cover portion 12 and the inner cover portion 18 comprise separate sheets affixed together rather than comprising a single, integral sheet of material. Having separate sheets permits the two portions 12, 18 to be made of different sheet materials, each of which has properties particularly suitable for its respective function.

The wrapper 10 may be made of any suitable sheet material. For example, it may comprise a multilayer laminate product having a reinforced woven fabric coated on each side with a polyethylene or polypropylene film. The films that are intended to be the inner side of the wrapper in contact with the metal coil may incorporate a volatile corrosion inhibitor. The outer cover portion 12 may be thicker or stronger than the inner cover portion 18. Either or both of the cover portions 12, 18 may comprise non-woven substrates, single or double pass coated wovens, films of various thicknesses, etc.

A first drawstring 24 is provided along the longitudinal edge 14 of the outer cover portion 12. It is located in a narrow longitudinal pocket 15 along the edge 14. The pocket 15 is made by welding or sewing a fold along the edge 14. Alternatively, the drawstring may be attached by forming a series of holes along the edge 14 and threading it through the holes. A length of the drawstring 24 is left extending at each free end 30, 32 of the wrapper, for use in cinching and tying the drawstring, as described below. The drawstring 24 is slidably moveable within the pocket 15, permitting it to be tightened.

A second drawstring 26 is provided along the opposed longitudinal edge 16 of the outer cover portion 12. It is located inside the longitudinal pocket 34 formed by the overlapping edges 16, 20. The pocket 34 is formed by welding or sewing along its longitudinal edges, or alternatively it may be formed by welding or sewing a fold along the edge 16 of the outer cover portion. Alternatively, the drawstring 26 may be attached by threading through holes along the edge. As with the first drawstring, a length of the second drawstring 26 is left extending at each end 30, 32 of the wrapper. The drawstring 26 is slidably moveable within the pocket 34. The drawstrings 24, 26 may be made of polypropylene cord or other materials.

To wrap the roll of steel 50 in the wrapper 10, the roll is placed on the outer cover portion 12, with each end 54, 56 of the roll facing a respective longitudinal edge 14, 16 and approximately equidistant therefrom. The width of the outer cover portion 12 is selected to be approximately equal to the length of the roll 50 plus twice the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the roll, so that the outer cover portion 12 will extend from the edge 36 of the inner periphery 60 at the first end 54 of the roll, over the outer periphery 52 and to the edge 38 of the inner periphery 60 at the second end 56 of the roll. The outer cover portion 12 is wrapped around the roll 50 and the drawstring 26 is then tightened and tied, cinching the edge 16 of the outer cover portion against the second end 56 of the roll proximate to the edge 38 of the inner periphery 60.

The inner cover portion 18 is then pushed into the bore 58 of the roll. The width of this inner cover portion (i.e. the distance between its longitudinal edges 20, 22) is selected to be of a length sufficient to extend along the length of the bore 58 and part way between the edge 36 of the inner periphery 60 and the edge 40 of the outer periphery 52 at the first end 54 of the roll. This part of the inner cover portion 18 that extends beyond the edge 36, identified by numeral 28 in FIG. 3, is folded out against the first end 54 of the roll. The drawstring 24 is then tightened and tied, cinching the edge 14 of the outer cover portion 12 against the first end 54 of the roll, proximate to the edge 36 of the inner periphery 60. This causes the outer cover portion 12 to overlap and cover the end part 28 of the inner cover 18 at the first end 54 of the roll. The outer cover portion 12 is then closed by applying a length of tape 42 along the exposed free end 30 or 32.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the wrapper comprises a single, integral sheet of material rather than two separate sheets affixed together. The sheet has the same configuration as that described above, except that it is a single, integral sheet, with a drawstring pocket provided in the same position as the pocket 34 of the illustrated embodiment for holding a second drawstring 26 which divides the sheet into a first portion corresponding to the outer cover portion 12 and a second portion corresponding to the inner cover portion 18.

Although the invention has been described in terms of various embodiments, it is not intended that the invention be limited to these embodiments. Various modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims that follow. 

1. A wrapper for wrapping a cylindrical roll of coiled material, the roll comprising an outer periphery, first and second ends and a hollow bore extending between the first and second ends and defining an inner periphery of the roll, the wrapper comprising: (a) a first portion for covering the outer periphery and the first and second ends of the roll, the first portion having opposed first and second longitudinal edges; (b) a second portion for covering the inner periphery of the roll, the second portion having opposed first and second longitudinal edges, the first longitudinal edge of the second portion being adjacent to the second longitudinal edge of the first portion; (c) a first drawstring extending along a length of the wrapper proximate the first longitudinal edge of the first portion; (d) a second drawstring extending along the length of the wrapper proximate the second longitudinal edge of the first portion and the first longitudinal edge of the second portion.
 2. A wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are separate sheets affixed together.
 3. A wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion comprise a single, integral sheet.
 4. A wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the first portion is thicker than the second portion.
 5. A wrapper for wrapping a cylindrical roll of coiled material, the roll comprising an outer periphery, first and second ends and a hollow bore extending between the first and second ends and defining an inner periphery of the roll, the wrapper comprising: a sheet having a length and a width and first and second longitudinal edges; a first drawstring extending along the length of the sheet proximate the first longitudinal edge; a second drawstring extending along the length of the sheet between the first and second longitudinal edges, generally parallel to the first drawstring and at a first distance therefrom; the portion of the wrapper between the first and second drawstrings comprising a first portion of the wrapper and the portion of the wrapper between the second drawstring and the second longitudinal edge comprising a second portion of the wrapper, the first portion being sized for covering the outer periphery and the first and second ends of the roll, and the second portion being sized for covering the inner periphery of the roll.
 6. A wrapper according to claim 1, further comprising a first drawstring pocket and a second drawstring pocket extending along the length of the wrapper for holding the first and second drawstrings respectively.
 7. A wrapped cylindrical roll of coiled material, comprising: (a) a cylindrical roll of coiled material, the roll comprising an outer periphery, first and second ends and a hollow bore extending between the first and second ends and defining an inner periphery of the roll; (b) a wrapper comprising: (i) a first portion for covering the outer periphery and the first and second ends, the first portion having opposed first and second longitudinal edges; (ii) a second portion for covering the inner periphery, the second portion having opposed first and second longitudinal edges, the first longitudinal edge of the second portion being adjacent to the second longitudinal edge of the first portion; (iii) a first drawstring extending along a length of the wrapper proximate the first longitudinal edge of the first portion; (iv) a second drawstring extending along the length of the wrapper proximate the second longitudinal edge of the first portion and the first longitudinal edge of the second portion; (c) the first portion covering the outer periphery and the first and second ends of the roll, the second portion covering the inner periphery of the roll and the first and second drawstrings being cinched to hold the wrapper against the respective first and second ends of the roll, proximate the inner periphery thereof.
 8. A wrapped cylindrical roll of coiled material, comprising: (a) a cylindrical roll of coiled material, the roll comprising an outer periphery, first and second ends and a hollow bore extending between the first and second ends and defining an inner periphery of the roll; (b) a wrapper comprising: a sheet having a length and a width and first and second longitudinal edges; a first drawstring extending along the length of the sheet proximate the first longitudinal edge; a second drawstring extending along the length of the sheet between the first and second longitudinal edges, generally parallel to the first drawstring and at a first distance therefrom; the portion of the sheet between the first and second drawstrings comprising a first portion of the wrapper and the portion of the sheet between the second drawstring and the second longitudinal edge comprising a second portion of the wrapper; (c) the first portion of the wrapper covering the outer periphery and the first and second ends of the roll, the second portion of the wrapper covering the inner periphery of the roll, and the first and second drawstrings being cinched to hold the wrapper against the respective first and second ends of the roll, proximate the inner periphery thereof.
 9. A wrapped roll according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the wrapper comprises a part thereof tucked under the first portion of the wrapper at the first end of the roll.
 10. A method of wrapping a cylindrical roll of coiled material, comprising the steps of: (a) providing the cylindrical roll of coiled material, the roll comprising an outer periphery, first and second ends and a hollow bore extending between the first and second ends and defining an inner periphery of the roll; (b) providing a wrapper comprising: (i) a first portion for covering the outer periphery and the first and second ends of the roll, the first portion having opposed first and second longitudinal edges; (ii) a second portion for covering the inner periphery of the roll, the second portion having opposed first and second longitudinal edges, the first longitudinal edge of the second portion being adjacent to the second longitudinal edge of the first portion; (iii) a first drawstring extending along a length of the wrapper proximate the first longitudinal edge of the first portion; (iv) a second drawstring extending along the length of the wrapper proximate the second longitudinal edge of the first portion and the first longitudinal edge of the second portion; (c) wrapping the first portion of the wrapper around the outer periphery of the roll, inserting the second portion of the wrapper through the hollow bore of the roll, cinching the second drawstring at the second end of the roll, proximate the inner periphery, applying a part of the second portion of the wrapper to the first end of the roll, and cinching the first drawstring at the first end of the roll, proximate the inner periphery, such that the first portion overlaps the part of the second portion. 